What kind of an experience is 'reading'?

What does 'reading' mean?

Am I seeing words and phrases of a text? The answer is a definite no. For a moment in the very beginning of the experience, I'm aware of letters and words. My awareness of those thing is a short-lived thing, though. I forget that I'm seeing them; such structural building blocks disappeare from my consciousness. Consciously, while I'm reading, I never take notice of phraces or clauses either. I can't enjoy the story in a text if I can enjoy the grammatical features in it.

Am I hearing the sounds, the speech, the discussions? The answer is the same: no. Except for a brief moment at the beginning of the text, I don't hear any imaginary voices unless something takes me out of the story.

I am not watching pictures either. I don't see pictures of people acting with each other. I dont' see pictures of beautiful landscapes. I don't see pictures unless something takes me out of the story.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm not reading as long as I am outside of the story. By the assistance of a well written text, I transport myself into the story, into the moment, into the place, into the action. In my own imagination, I live through the events that someone else has created and formed into a story. While I'm reading, the real world disappeares completely from my conscious thoughts. Words and syntax can achieve such a remarkable thing; nothing else is needed.

How does that happen? I know that it takes something that is called concentration. I know also that it isn't enough. There are texts in which I can't concentrate because the text doesn't allow it. So, whatever it is it has to be in the text, and not in the reader.

Everyday Knowledge

I am an aspiring fantasy writer. My first attempt on a book is almost finished. I never thought it would take me more than seven months to write the last chapter, but it is taking at least that long. The reason is that without revising the story I can't make the end I want work. So, for the most part, I don't write the last chapter; I read and revise the previous ones. One problem is more prominent than anything else:

Everyday Knowledge

I need to give a lot of everyday knowledge about the world I write into being to the readers. How to do that? I don’t want to lecture to the reader. I’ve read lots and lots of books, and I don't like it if the writer suddenly stops the narrative and starts to lecture me about good manners, religious ceremonies, clothing, or nuances of cursing. Such passages take me out of the action and thereby out of the story.

I don’t understand why writers would do that. The characters that are set to play in the world of the story achieved the knowledge as they grew up; they behave as they should, they know the religious ceremonies, they clothe themselves appropriately and they use swear words that the situation demands. I like it if that kind of information is shown to me, not told. So, I know how I should offer the information to the reader. However, I find the actual task quite demanding.

My first version of such a passage:

The song disappointed little Tomas. A young maiden committed a suicide because of a broken heart. It was just like all the other ballads Mellersdans women sang. Tomas had adopted the attitudes of the men of the village: they did not respect women and they did not find their interests worth a thought. According to men, women were always wasting their time, listening for love songs.

My first revised version:

Tomas was disappointed. The song was just a stupid ballad: just one more young maiden killing herself because of love. Tomas drawled the word out in his mind like he had heard the men do. Women’s stuff. They were always listening to these stupid love songs.

I think I can revise the passage further, but it’s already improved.